Liquid-dispensing apparatus.



No. 864,555. PATENTED AUG. 27, 1907.

E. R. RANDALLJ LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS. APPLICATION nun APR. 12, 1000.

UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE.

EDWIN R. RANDALL, OF EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO RANDALL DISPENSING APPARATUS COMPANY, OF PROVI- DENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

LIQUID-DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1907.

Application filed April 12, 1906. Serial No. 311,339.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN R. RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Dispensing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in liquid distributing apparatus, and more particularly to means for facilitating delivery of liquid from the container.

The object in view is the ready delivery of liquid from the container while facilitating the maintenance of the parts of the container in a clean, pure condition.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:Figure 1 is a perspective view of the side rails and ends of the container embodying the features of the present invention, the i11- closing walls being omitted for the purpose of clearness. Fig. 2 is a transverse, vertical section through a container embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical, central section taken through the parts seen in Fig. 1.

In the handling of liquid, and particularly alcoholic beverages, it has heretofore been common to employ a dispensing tank or container into which a beverage is introduced and from which the same is forced by means of gas or other suitable fluid pressure. In order to prevent the formation of bead, it has been the practice to interpose a diaphragm between the gas and the beverage, and in some instances the diaphragm has been made in the form of a flexible blanket. This blanket, however, it has been found by experience, becomes coated with a collection of foreign substances which must be removed, by first removing the blanket from the tank, and in the structures of which I am aware the removal of the blanket has been accomplished only with difiiculty and delay. I, therefore, propose to provide means for utilizing the blanket as usual while facilitating the ready removal thereof from the tank or container for enabling cleansing.

In carrying out the embodiment of the invention, I may, of course, utilize any form of tank or container which may be preferred, and in this connection I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, a tank or container 1 of cylindrical form and having heads 2 and 3 closing the ends thereof Extending longitudinally of the tank 1 are bars 44, the opposite ends of which are connected to the opposite heads 2 and 3. Suitable cross bars 5 are arranged at the ends of the tank and fixed to the heads 2 and 3. Each of the bars 4 and 5 is provided with a longitudinal groove 6, and an eccentric 7 is mounted immediately above the groove, in position for being swung upon its eccentric mounting into the groove. Each of the eccentrics '7 is provided with a journal rod 8 which projects beyond the end thereof and fixedly carries a ratchet wheel 9. The ratchet wheel in each instance is engaged by the pawl 10 which is adapted to retain the eccentric 7 in any given adjusted position.

In operation, a diaphragm or blanket 11 is arranged within the container 1 and its edges are provided with longitudinal beads 12, and when the blanket is in position the edges thereof lie within the groove 6 of the bars 4 and 5. The blanket or diaphragm 11 is normally retained in positionby the eccentric 7 which will swing by rotation of the rods 8 into the groove 4, whereby the blanket or diaphragm 11 .is firmly locked in position. When employing the tank 1 as a dispensing container, the tank is filled through any suitable pipe 13, the influx of beverage lifting the diaphragm to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. 1n delivering beverage from the tank, pressure is admitted through pipe 14 which tends to press the diaphragm or blanket 11 downwardly and thus to discharge liquid through the pipe 13, or any other discharge pipe which may be provided. By preference, the head 2 is made of two sections, the lower section 2 being hinged in such manner as to be capable of being opened. Any suitable catch 15 is provided for locking the section 2 in a closed condition normally. Of course, any suitable packing, not illustrated, is provided for making a closed joint between the section 2 and the immovable portion of the head 2.

After the diaphragm 11 has been utilized until it requires cleansing, to remove the same only requires a releasing of the pawls 10 and the manipulation of the shaftsor rods 8 for lifting the eccentric 7 out of the groove 6, whereupon the blanket 11 may be slid longitudinally out of the opening at the end of the container, the section 2 having been opened for the purpose. Having been cleansed, the diaphragm 11 is introduced longitudinally and passed along the tank until the end and side edges extend over the grooves 6, and the eccentrics 7 are then turned for clamping the edges of the diaphragm, and the section 2 is closed; whereupon the parts are in condition for another operation of the user.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising a tank having a closure, 21 grooved rail mounted in said tank, a

diaphragm having its edges positioned in the groove of said rail, and clamping means mounted in said groove for retaining said diaphragm in position.

2. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a tank, having a closure, grooved rails mounted in said tank, a diaphragm clamped in the groove of said rail, clamping means for retaining said diaphragm in position, and means for releasing and permitting removal of the diaphragm from the opening produced by the removal of said closure.

A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a tank, a closure therefor, and eccentric clamps arranged at the sides of the tank, and a diaphragm adapted to be sustained within the tank by said clamps.

4. A dispensing apparatus comprising a tank, a closure therefor, eccentric clamps arranged at the sides of the tank, and a diaphragm having its edges removably engaged by said clamps.

5. A dispensing apparatus comprising a tank having a closure, eccentric clamps arranged at the sides of the tank, a diaphragm having its edges engaged by said clamps, and means for retaining said clamps at various degrees of clamping compression on the diaphragm.

6. A dispensing apparatus comprising a tank having a. closure, clamping eccentrics arranged at the sides of and within the tank, a diaphragm sustained normally by said clamping eccentrics, and pawl and ratchet mechanism for retaining the clamps in their clamping condition.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN R. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. FLETCHER, EDGAR M. KITCHIN. 

